System and method for determining the position of a sensor in seismic exploration

Abstract

A system and method for determining the position of a sensor in seismic exploration is disclosed. The method includes directing first, second, and third sensors to emit first, second, and third signals respectively; recording first, second, and third emitted times corresponding to emitting the first, second, and third signals respectively; detecting that a fourth sensor received the first, second, and third signals; recording first, second, and third received times corresponding to receiving the first, second, and third signals respectively; calculating, based on emitted and received times, a first distance between the first and fourth sensors, a second distance between the second and fourth sensors, and a third distance between the third and fourth sensors; determining the positions of the first, second, and third sensors; and computing a position of the fourth sensor based on the positions of the first, second, and third sensors, and the first, second, and third distances.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of determining the position of a sensor in seismic exploration, comprising:
 directing a first sensor to emit a first signal, a second sensor to emit a second signal, and a third sensor to emit a third signal;   recording a first emitted time corresponding to emitting the first signal, a second emitted time corresponding to emitting the second signal, and a third emitted time corresponding to emitting the third signal;   detecting that a fourth sensor received the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal;   recording a first received time corresponding to receiving the first signal, a second received time corresponding to receiving the second signal, and a third received time corresponding to receiving the third signal;   calculating a first distance between the first sensor and the fourth sensor based on the first emitted time and the first received time;   calculating a second distance between the second sensor and the fourth sensor based on the second emitted time and the second received time;   calculating a third distance between the third sensor and the fourth sensor based on the third emitted time and the third received time;   determining a position of the first sensor, a position of the second sensor, and a position of the third sensor; and   computing a position of the fourth sensor based on the position of the first sensor, the position of the second sensor, the position of the third sensor, the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor, the second sensor, or the third sensor is a node of a sensor array or is independent of a component of a sensor array. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the position of the first sensor, the position of the second sensor, and the position of the third sensor includes:
 selecting one of the first sensor, the second sensor, or the third sensor; and   surveying or calculating the position of the selected sensor.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether an accuracy level of the position of the fourth sensor is above a predetermined threshold;   based on the determination that the accuracy level of the position of the fourth sensor is above the predetermined threshold, designating a fifth sensor to survey;   directing the fifth sensor to emit a fourth emitted signal;   recording a fourth emitted time corresponding to emitting the fourth signal;   detecting that the fourth sensor received the fourth signal;   recording a fourth received time corresponding to receiving the fourth signal;   calculating a fourth distance between the fourth sensor and the fifth sensor based on the fourth emitted time and the fourth received time;   determining a position of the fifth sensor; and   computing a position of the fourth sensor based on the position of the fifth sensor and the fourth distance.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising recording an ambient temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the position of the fourth sensor is computed by solving a Euclidean distance matrix. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising recording a frequency of the first signal. 
     
     
         8 . A seismic exploration system, comprising:
 a first sensor configured to emit a signal;   a second sensor configured to emit a signal;   a third sensor configured to emit a signal;   a fourth sensor configured to receive the signal; and   a unit communicatively coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor, and the fourth sensor, the unit configured to:
 direct the first sensor to emit a first signal, the second sensor to emit a second signal, and the third sensor to emit a third signal; 
 record a first emitted time corresponding to emitting the first signal, a second emitted time corresponding to emitting the second signal, and a third emitted time corresponding to emitting the third signal; 
 detect that the fourth sensor received the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal; 
 record a first received time corresponding to receiving the first signal, a second received time corresponding to receiving the second signal, and a third received time corresponding to receiving the third signal; 
 calculate a first distance between the first sensor and the fourth sensor based on the first emitted time and the first received time; 
 calculate a second distance between the second sensor and the fourth sensor based on the second emitted time and the second received time; 
 calculate a third distance between the third sensor and the fourth sensor based on the third emitted time and the third received time; 
 determine a position of the first sensor, a position of the second sensor, and a position of the third sensor; and 
 compute a position of the fourth sensor based on the position of the first sensor, the position of the second sensor, the position of the third sensor, the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance. 
   
     
     
         9 . The seismic exploration system of  claim 8 , wherein the first sensor, the second sensor, or the third sensor is a node of a sensor array or is independent of a component of a sensor array. 
     
     
         10 . The seismic exploration system of  claim 8 , wherein determining the position of the first sensor, the position of the second sensor, and the position of the third sensor includes:
 selecting one of the first sensor, the second sensor, or the third sensor; and   surveying or calculating the position of the selected sensor.   
     
     
         11 . The seismic exploration system of  claim 8 , the unit further configured to:
 determine whether an accuracy level of the position of the fourth sensor is above a predetermined threshold;   based on the determination that the accuracy level of the position of the fourth sensor is above the predetermined threshold, designate a fifth sensor to survey;   direct the fifth sensor to emit a fourth emitted signal;   record a fourth emitted time corresponding to emitting the fourth signal;   detect that the fourth sensor received the fourth signal;   record a fourth received time corresponding to receiving the fourth signal;   calculate a fourth distance between the fourth sensor and the fifth sensor based on the fourth emitted time and the fourth received time;   determine a position of the fifth sensor; and   compute a position of the fourth sensor based on the position of the fifth sensor and the fourth distance.   
     
     
         12 . The seismic exploration system of  claim 8 , the unit further configured to record an ambient temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The seismic exploration system of  claim 8 , wherein the position of the fourth sensor is computed by solving a Euclidean distance matrix. 
     
     
         14 . The seismic exploration system of  claim 8 , the unit further configured to record a frequency of the first signal. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:
 computer-executable instructions carried on the computer-readable medium, the instructions, when executed, causing a processor to:
 direct a first sensor to emit a first signal, a second sensor to emit a second signal, and a third sensor to emit a third signal; 
 record a first emitted time corresponding to emitting the first signal, a second emitted time corresponding to emitting the second signal, and a third emitted time corresponding to emitting the third signal; 
 detect that a fourth sensor received the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal; 
 record a first received time corresponding to receiving the first signal, a second received time corresponding to receiving the second signal, and a third received time corresponding to receiving the third signal; 
 calculate a first distance between the first sensor and the fourth sensor based on the first emitted time and the first received time; 
 calculate a second distance between the second sensor and the fourth sensor based on the second emitted time and the second received time; 
 calculate a third distance between the third sensor and the fourth sensor based on the third emitted time and the third received time; 
 determine a position of the first sensor, a position of the second sensor, and a position of the third sensor; and 
 compute a position of the fourth sensor based on the position of the first sensor, the position of the second sensor, the position of the third sensor, the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance. 
   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first sensor, the second sensor, or the third sensor is a node of a sensor array or is independent of a component of a sensor array. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein determining the position of the first sensor, the position of the second sensor, and the position of the third sensor includes:
 selecting one of the first sensor, the second sensor, or the third sensor; and   surveying or calculating the position of the selected sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , the computer-executable instructions further causing the processor to:
 determine whether an accuracy level of the position of the fourth sensor is above a predetermined threshold;   based on the determination that the accuracy level of the position of the fourth sensor is above the predetermined threshold, designate a fifth sensor to survey;   direct the fifth sensor to emit a fourth emitted signal;   record a fourth emitted time corresponding to emitting the fourth signal;   detect that the fourth sensor received the fourth signal;   record a fourth received time corresponding to receiving the fourth signal;   calculate a fourth distance between the fourth sensor and the fifth sensor based on the fourth emitted time and the fourth received time;   survey a position of the fifth sensor; and   compute a position of the fourth sensor based on the position of the fifth sensor and the fourth distance.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , the computer-executable instructions further causing the processor to record an ambient temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , the computer-executable instructions further causing the processor to record a frequency of the first signal.